]]>Relax, It’s Not That Serious: Gerald McCoy Says Matchup Against Bucs is Just Another Game (Video)http://carolinablitz.com/2019/09/11/relax-its-not-that-serious-gerald-mccoy-says-matchup-against-bucs-is-just-another-game-video/
Thu, 12 Sep 2019 02:53:15 +0000http://carolinablitz.com/?p=8796All-Pro defensive end Gerald McCoy’s unceremonious departure from Tampa Bay was one of the major story lines of the NFL offseason. The 9-year vet’s decision to sign with the Panthers, his former team’s NFC South foe, only escalated the talk around his release. So heading into his first matchup against his former team, it’s natural that a McCoy revenge game would be a major topic of discussion – for everyone but Gerald, that is.

“My family, my friends, you guys, fans, everybody is making this game a big deal and I’m not. Everybody thinks I’m going to make it a big deal and I’m not going to. The only thing that’s big about this game is I know exactly who I’m facing, what they’re good at, what they’re not good at. That’s it.”

That’s not to say this game isn’t important to McCoy, who says he understands his release was a “business move”, just not for the reasons everyone thinks.

“I don’t want to go 0-2. I know that. I’ve done that too many times in my career. We’ve got a really good team here and you never want to let one loss turn into two. So, we’ve got to bounce back and make sure we go out and play well on Thursday.”

There’s no question that a win is most important, but a little part of me thinks getting it against your former team will make a little bit sweeter.

]]>Game On or Game Over on The Sports Shop 9/10/19 (Video)http://carolinablitz.com/2019/09/10/game-on-or-game-over-on-the-sports-shop-9-10-19-video/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 17:00:06 +0000http://carolinablitz.com/?p=8793Check out Carolina Blitz’s weekly “Game On or Game Over” segment on The Sports Shop.

]]>Playtime is Over: The Team That Makes the Best Adjustments will Win Panthers Opener (Video)http://carolinablitz.com/2019/09/08/playtime-is-over-the-team-that-makes-the-best-adjustments-will-win-panthers-opener-video/
Sun, 08 Sep 2019 14:41:33 +0000http://carolinablitz.com/?p=8786The Panthers haven’t put much stock into their preseason. Cam Newton’s foot injury limited his play and we barely got to see the full strength of their retooled defense. All that will change Sunday as the Panthers host the defending NFC champion Rams at Bank of America Stadium.

But according to Carolina, it won’t be the team that looked the best in the preseason who will be victorious, it’s the one that’s able to make the best adjustments.

It was 4th and 17 from their own 40 with 2:55 remaining in the 4th quarter. Several fans started making their way to the exits with the 4th quarter magic from the week before seemingly a fluke. The Tar Heels, who were having trouble moving the ball since the 2nd quarter, trailed Miami 25-20. The typical call here would be to punt and hope your defense plays well enough to give you the ball back with time on the clock. The Heels didn’t have enough timeouts for this strategy to work, so they decide to put it all on the time and go for it. Sam Howell stood calmly in the pocket and completed a 20 yard pass to a wide open Rontavius Groves. Five plays later he connected with Dazz Newsome for the winning touchdown.

“We had play we have a lot of confidence in,” Howell said about the 4th down conversion. “Toe had a double move and he was wide open. He made a great catch, because it really wasn’t a great throw. But I just tried to put it in a place where he could make the play and he made it.”

Sam may simplify things, but on a stage that big with a stadium full of people nervously expecting the worse, he was the calmest person in the bunch.

“That boy cold. He bad,” UNC defensive end Tomon Fox said after the win. “Our offense is already hot, but with the addition of Sam…he’s like the fuel to the fire.”

“He’s got ice in his veins,” Coach Mack Brown said about his quarterback. “He’s very confident. The weirdest thing about him is, he gets sacked and throws a touchdown pass and you can’t tell the difference in his demeanor.”

It’s that calmness and confidence that has orchestrated two 4th quarter comebacks in a row and made the Tar Heels one of the most exciting teams to watch so far this season.

]]>Is My Ability to Play this Game Over With?: Cam Newton Releases New Vlog Reflecting on Offseason Challengeshttp://carolinablitz.com/2019/09/07/is-my-ability-to-play-this-game-over-with-cam-newton-releases-new-vlog-reflecting-on-offseason-challenges/
Sun, 08 Sep 2019 01:01:19 +0000http://carolinablitz.com/?p=8782Ahead of tomorrow’s opening game against the Rams, Cam Newton released a new vlog where he opens up about his offseason challenges.

]]>The Wolfpack May Have Won the Game, But this Fan Didn’t (Video)http://carolinablitz.com/2019/09/07/the-wolfpack-may-have-won-the-game-but-this-fan-didnt-video/
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 21:45:00 +0000http://carolinablitz.com/?p=8780Not sure what this guy was trying to do, but whatever it was he failed at it.